Using a torch to dry rock will weaken the rock. Depending on the type of rock and how high the heat, it can also provide increased texture for gripping (what we call a 'thermal' texture at work), though most typical propane/mapp gas torches aren't capable of that in granite, not sure about softer stone.

oh boy....here we go... It seems to me the same argument can (and has)been made of drills. Any yahoo can purchase a Bosch and "put up a route". The stupidity of one affects many thus it is crucial that climbing areas continue to be honored as unique and that one rule cannot always apply to all. This makes it paramount that these climbing resources be "self-regulated" by the local crew of developers, regulars, and land managers. Climbing management plans can put all this to rest if/as climbers organize to preserve their climbing environments.

Lets call a spade a spade here people. "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" Say 10 climbers go out and climb the same problem 100 times and on the 101st time they climb it a hold breaks. Was it the fact they climbed it too much? Or maybe they put on weight? Or maybe it's there was always an unseen weakness not visible to the human eye. Either way at some point in time that piece of rock was going to come off, either naturally, or at the hands of man. Is it really such a horrible act to dry off a hold, top out, or climb with a torch? Is it actually making a drastic impact on the rock? Have you seen a climb/boulder ruined by said act? What about drilling and blasting a hole through the side of a mountain to build a tunnel so as to drive through, or destroying a farmland or forest to build ones "dream home". These things seem to me at least to be a bigger impact on environment than drying a hold off.

Just because something is heated and then brakes doesn't make heat the culprit, just a suspect.

I think if I feel a particular hold is fragile I wouldn't blow torch it, or if I thought the blow torch would mark the rock I wouldn't do it either but overall I think the risk of blow torching is vastly overstated.

I've personally blow torched the shit out of some top outs and there were no marks, the texture didn't change, and there was nothing to break because it was big rounded top out. This was on rare quartzite however. So, try it out on a piece of the type of rock you are climbing on and see what happens. If it messes it up, don't do it on the climbs but my guess is that nothing will happen.

Why would anyone bother with this? If it's wet, go do something else; there are so many things to do, so many activities to engage in that are appropriate for any given condition. If it's wet, climb it wet. Or find something else to do.

Lets call a spade a spade here people. "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" Say 10 climbers go out and climb the same problem 100 times and on the 101st time they climb it a hold breaks. Was it the fact they climbed it too much? Or maybe they put on weight? Or maybe it's there was always an unseen weakness not visible to the human eye. Either way at some point in time that piece of rock was going to come off, either naturally, or at the hands of man. Is it really such a horrible act to dry off a hold, top out, or climb with a torch? Is it actually making a drastic impact on the rock? Have you seen a climb/boulder ruined by said act? What about drilling and blasting a hole through the side of a mountain to build a tunnel so as to drive through, or destroying a farmland or forest to build ones "dream home". These things seem to me at least to be a bigger impact on environment than drying a hold off.

Think you're missing the point here. It's not about environmental impact really, a couple holds breaking off of some random boulders is pretty minuscule. Only in the context of climbing is it a big deal, because losing holds can dramatically change climbs.